Jump rope device



Jan. 16, 1968 R. J. CROVELLO 3,363,898

JUMP ROPE .DEVICE Filed July 13, 1965 I I I I I I/Il FIG.2

I N VENTOR ROBERT J. CROVELLO BY ATTORNEYS United States Patent Ofi ice3,363,898 Patented Jan. 16, 1968 3,363,898 JUMP ROPE DEVICE Robert J.Crovello, 3429 Acusllnet Ave., New Bedford, Mass. 02745 Filed July 13,1965, Ser. No. 471,624 1 Claim. (Cl. 272-75) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSUREA jump rope device which has a single tubular member as a handle meanswith a flexible rope-like member being inserted through bearing ends ofsaid tubular member, the flexible rope-like member being retained withinthe tubular member whereby the rope-like member will rotate relative tothe tubular handle member.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide a device which may beeasily manipulated and which will provide the exercise desired in thejumping or skipping of rope in which the rope is swung over the head andbeneath the feet.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device which may behandled by both hands upon one bar, thus maintaining a somewhatdifferent position than where handles are separate from each other andheld one in each hand.

A further object of the invention is to provide some anti-friction meansfor mounting a rope so that the rope may be revolved without becomingtwisted.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists of certainnovel features of construction as will be more fully described andparticularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the device; and

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of one end of the rigid tubular member andthe end of the flexibile rope-like member secured therein, both on alarger scale than FIG. 1.

In proceeding with this invention, 1 provide a relatively rigid tubularmember having open ends and also a relatively flexibile rope-like memberhaving two ends, each of which is secured in a cap which may bepositioned over the ends of the tubular member so as to mount therope-like member in the ends of the tubular member. Anti-friction meansare utilized for such a mounting.

With reference to the drawings, designates generally the relativelyrigid tubular member which has a cylindrical wall 11 with the outersurface of its ends 12 slightly enlarged. The member may be of anysuitable material such as molded rigid plastic, metal, or wood so as tomaintain substantially its shape and is of a width substantially thewidth of the body of a human being and capable of being heldconveniently in both hands of the user.

The other member of the device is designated generally 15 and isflexible, in the form of a rope or cord and of a length so that when itsends are attached to the tubular member, they may be swung over the headand then jumped over as it is swung beneath the feet. The end portionsof this flexibile member 15 are designated generally 16 and are providedwith some sort of a retainer 17 to prevent the ends from fraying. Eachend of the member 15 is mounted in a cap designated generally 18 whichcomprises a cup having an end Wall 19 and a cylindrical side wall 20,which receives and holds a ball bearing cage designated generally 21.This cage has an outer raceway 22 and an inner raceway 23 between whichthere are a series of balls 24 so that these raceways may be relativelyeasily rotated, one with reference to the other about a center. Theouter raceway 22 is of a size and shape to snugly frictionally fit thewalls 20 of the cap and be held against rotation therein. The innerraceway 23 is of a size to loosely fit an opening 25 in the end wall ofthe cap so as to be freely revolvable therein and this raceway alsosnugly receives end 16 of the rope-like member which is held thereto byreason of a washer 26 and a clip 27 which grips the rope and snuglypresses the washer against the inner race 23. By this arrangement theend of the rope is fixed to the inner raceway and may rotate withreference to the outer raceway and cap which is held fixed to the tube10.

A convenient way of holding the cap in place is to turn the edge 28 ofthe wal1'20 of the cap inwardly over the enlarged portion 12 so that itsnugly engages the shoulder between the portions 11 and 12 and holds thecap in place. In this manner the ends of the rope may be mounted in thecap prior to assembly with the tube and then put in place, and theentire device becomes assembled by reason of the unit caps beingpositioned on the tube.

I claim:

1. A jump rope device comprising a relatively rigid elongated tubularmember having an enlarged end, a relatively flexible rope-like memberhaving ends extending in opposite directions into the ends of saidtubular member, the diameter of said rope-like member beingsubstantially smaller than the interior diameter of the tubular member,and a first anti-friction means at one end and a second anti-frictionmeans at the other end of said tubular member for closing the ends ofthe tubular member and rotatably mounting the ends of said flexiblemember in the ends of said tubular member, each said anti-friction meansbeing :a unit mounted in a cap which is secured to an end of saidtubular member by rolling the edge of the cap over said enlarged end,said cap containing a ball bearing comprising a cage having inner andouter reaceways with balls between, and the outer raceway being fixed tosaid cap and the inner raceway being fixed to said flexible member by awasher engaging the inner raceway and a clip engaging the rope andwasher to urge it against the inner raceway.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 104,674 6/ 1870 Whitehead 272-742,493,224 I/ 1950 Brunt et al. 27274 FOREIGN PATENTS 755,736 1956 GreatBritain. 498,972 1954 Italy.

ANTON O. OECHSLE, Primary Examiner. RICHARD C. PINKHAM, Examiner.

